It takes a village to raise a child, and it takes mutual respect and two-way communication of ideas to make a village prosper. Families, schools and business sectors all have a symbiotic relationship when it comes to preparing our children for the future, and it is vital that they share ideas, and work together as equals to achieve this most vital goal. At local, state and national levels, our school policies are in need of improvements. To bring about meaningful change in education, business leaders need to engage parents and educators, as much as politicians and administrators. A good faith effort in doing so starts with recognizing the harm in the data-driven mentality and micromanagement of teachers. Educators are trained professionals whose role in society has been reduced to glorified babysitters, due in great part to the ed-tech industry's influence on education policy. Trained teachers make a living finding effective ways to inspire students, and helping them understand concepts. They know better than anyone how best to do that, and they should be trusted to do their jobs based on what their experiences have shown to be best practices. Right now, they are on tight leashes, being forced to adhere to scripted lessons and restrictive timelines, yet are the first to be punished when students underachieve.